There are few filmmakers in the world who can tap into their subconscious imagination more productively than Guillermo del Toro. His movies, made in Mexico and the United States, are filled with images that could only be discovered in dreams and in nightmares. He is perhaps most famous for “Pan’s Labyrinth,” a horror-fantasy story set in fascist Spain.
Del Toro’s latest movie is “Hellboy II: The Golden Army,” a roaring action-packed sequel to the first “Hellboy,” released in 2004. Like he did in the first installment, del Toro fills “Hellboy II” with inventive and thrilling sights and sounds. The puppetry, animatronics and digital effects are all superior, coming together to create some fantastical and memorable movie monsters.
“Hellboy II” is the story of a demon from another dimension. He was released by the Nazis through an inter-dimensional portal during World War II, rescued and raised by an allied paranormal expert. In the present day, the demon, codename: Hellboy, is a member of an elite squad of heroes who fight against the forces of darkness.
The latest challenge for Hellboy (Ron Perlman) and his friends comes in the form of Prince Nuada (Luke Goss), an exiled Elf prince who is searching for the key to unlock the Golden Army, a legion of indestructible mechanical soldiers. Accompanying Hellboy in his quest to quash Nuada are fish-man Abe Sapien (Doug Jones) and Liz Sherman (Selma Blair), who has pyrokinetic abilities.
“Hellboy II” is absolutely overflowing with action, stunts and monsters, but it retains the sense of romance, humor and gravitas that distinguished its predecessor. In the end, the “Hellboy” series is one of relationships. Del Toro examines the strained romantic connection between Hellboy and Liz, the star-crossed love affair of Abe and the Elf princess Nuala (Anna Walton), the public’s animosity toward Hellboy, and, most relevant, the conflict between men and the natural world.
Mixed among those interactions are thrilling special effects set pieces, which include a scary battle with voracious “tooth fairies” in a New York City high rise and a scene in the subterranean Troll Market, a bazaar filled with goblins, ogres and other enchanting creatures.
Whether the “Hellboy” saga will become a trilogy is uncertain at this point, as del Toro, who also wrote “Hellboy II,” is attached to direct “Doctor Strange” next year. Then, in 2010, del Toro will begin work on a two-film adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Hobbit,” the precursor to “The Lord of the Rings.”
It’s amazing that del Toro, who began his career making low-budget horror movies in his native Mexico, will soon direct a blockbuster adaptation of one of the most famous stories in the world. It’s a testament to his skill behind the camera, his ability to organize and inspire a team of artists, and his raw creative power.
*** out of ****
Also playing:
The Blob (1958) ***
RoboCop 3 ** 1/2
2 comments:
Love your reviews - particularly intrigued now with seeing Hancock and Wall-E.
And I'm curious about your all-time list - a great list and interesting that these are films from an earlier era! Would agree with your choices. But what to you think about other Hitchcocks, and To Kill A Mockingbird and the Wizard of OZ?
Tried sending this to you at work by e-mail, but your Shoreline e-mail returned it
So here it the message (somewhat edited - check your Trinity e-mail for complete messge):
Thanks so much for coming yesterday!
I love the reviews on your blog – you are a compelling writer. And it’s great to know about Dr. Who. Have you seen the Dr Who BBC webpage: http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/. I’d enjoy borrowing DVDs some time.
Keep me posted on your group’s weekly films.
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